


Good-night

by rosemary_green



Category: FENN George Manville - Works, Fix Bay'nets - George Manville Fenn
Genre: Friendship, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-17
Updated: 2013-04-17
Packaged: 2017-12-08 18:23:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 385
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/764540
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rosemary_green/pseuds/rosemary_green
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A handkerchief and the beginning of a friendship.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Good-night

**Author's Note:**

> This is a companion piece to the first four chapters of Fix Bay'nets! by G. Manville Fenn. Written as a New Year's Resolution story for Yuletide 2005 for Daegaer (although it was too short to be an official entry).

'I s'y, Symons! Wasn’t it right nice of Mr Bracy, coming to see us and wish us good-night? I always did think he was a good sort.'

Receiving no response to this sally, Private William Gedge looked closely at the other occupant of the hospital tent.

'Well, I reckon you’ve gone off to sleep at last, pardner,' Gedge continued in softer tones. 'This certainly has been a day to wear a fellow out! I ought to try and get some sleep, too, if I could only get my mind to stop rushing around.

'Oh, but when I think of the danger that Mr Bracy put himself in for us today! When those chaps in white nightgowns started chucking rocks at us, he got us all under cover -- and then he stayed right out in plain sight of them, as bold as you please! And didn’t I catch it from old Gee for talking, but I jest couldn’t stand to see my orficer get hit.

'But the most splendid thing was that he came back, himself, to get me after I was knocked on the head by one of them stones. The fellows told me that he rushed right back and picked me up, even though he ran in 'orrible danger to do it. It’s not jest any orficer that would risk his life for one of us.'

Gedge was still and silent for a long moment, then with a queer note in his voice exclaimed, 'Here! What’s this in my pocket? Why, it’s Mr Bracy’s 'andkerchief, that he gave to old Gee to tie round my head. However did it come to be here?

'Well, if he should 'appen to come and visit us again, I’ll be sure to return it to him -- and to thank him for fetching me back today. Of course we can’t be chums like him and that Captain Roberts, but I hope someday I’ll be able to do as good a turn for him as he did for me today!'

At last, a silence fell over the hospital tent, and its two occupants slept. And when the doctor came to check on them a few hours later, he found Gedge, despite his bandages, with a smile on his thin face, and a carefully folded handkerchief held gently in his hand.


End file.
